Old gas boilers can waste up to £500 a year in energy bills however you can prevent this by following some relatively simple and free home hacks.
According to the energy comparison site Uswitch, there are 23million homes with a gas boiler in the UK however a lot of these boilers may not be running as well as they could be.
Boilers usually make up around 50% of your yearly energy bill and Uswitch says that the lowest-grade models can waste around 40% of the money you spend on your gas.
When you compare these figures to the current typical energy bill of £2,500, around £1,250 is believed to be the boiler cost, and as 40% is wasted, with a rough estimate you could possibly be wasting around £500 each year through an inefficient boiler.
Ben Galilizzi, energy expert at Uswitch explained modern boiler systems that have been looked after with regular boiler maintenance burn their fuel "more efficiently" than old models that have "been neglected".
He told ThisisMoney.co.uk: "'Looking after your boiler on a regular basis will also reduce the risk of gas leaks, and improve protection within your home, including carbon monoxide safety."
If you are unable to fork out for a brand new boiler, which according to Uswitch can run up to around £1,500, there are a few ways to get the most out of your old one for free.
However, the comparison firm did note that it was always a good idea to have a professional check your boiler regularly as this will help guarantee it is running as smoothly, safely and efficiently as possible.
Set a timer for your boiler
A boiler timer lets you set the hours when you want your heating and hot water on during the day.
By setting a timer, you can make sure the heating in your home is on only when someone is there to use it so you are not wasting hours of heating when there is no need to have it on.
If you have an older boiler, you can set a timer on it by manually setting the dial on the boiler to the current time and you can then choose what time you want the boiler to come on by changing the pins which are located around the dial.
For example, if you want your boiler to turn on from 7-8 AM, then set the four pins between seven and eight to the “On” position.
You can then set the switch to the timer function to activate your boiler.
Reduce your boiler flow rate
Uswitch says that around 80% of homes have a combi boiler in the UK and if you have one you should consider reducing the flow rate on it to help you save some cash.
The "flow temperature" is the temperature your boiler heats up the water to before sending it off to your radiators.
Most households run the flow rate at around 80 degrees, but this temperature can be safely lowered with little impact on the useable hot water in most cases.
If you reduce its flow temperature to 60 degrees can save £112 a year on energy bills, according to figures from charity Nesta.
Bleed your radiators
By bleeding your radiators, you can release any air that has become trapped inside and will then allow the entire surface of the radiator to produce heat, meaning lower energy bills for the same level of household warmth.
To bleed it, you will need to have a radiator key, which can be purchased online or in most hardware stores. You then insert the key to turn the valve at the top of the radiator, you should hear a hissing sound which is just the trapped air escaping.
Once this has stopped you can retighten the valve.
Check your boiler pressure
All boilers should have a pressure gauge, with modern boilers it is on the front and with older boilers, it may be underneath amongst the pipework.
Most boilers run best at pressures between 1 and 1.5 bar, any lower than this and your heating system costs more as it becomes inefficient.
As not all boilers are the same, you can refer to your boiler's specific manual which can explain the ways you can increase the pressure
If the pressure is too high it can lead to faults with your heating system, and according to British Gas the most common culprits are the pressure valves which may have come loose or the radiators.
If it's the valves you will need to tighten them, and if it is the radiators you can bleed them to reduce the pressure load.
If you have done these steps and the problems are still there, then you are advised to call a boiler professional to address the problem.
